Dual Panel1On that day<3117> they read<7121> aloud from the book<5612> of Moses<4872> in the hearing<241> of the people<5971>; and there was found<4672> written<3789> in it that no<3808> Ammonite<5984> or Moabite<4125> should ever<5769> enter<935> the assembly<6951> of God<430>,
2because<3588> they did not meet<6923> the sons<1121> of Israel<3478> with bread<3899> and water<4325>, but hired<7936> Balaam<1109> against<5921> them to curse<7043> them. However, our God<430> turned<2015> the curse<7045> into a blessing<1293>.
3So when they heard<8085> the law<8451>, they excluded<914> all<3605> foreigners<6154> from Israel<3478>.
4Now prior<6440> to this<2088>, Eliashib<475> the priest<3548>, who was appointed<5414> over the chambers<3957> of the house<1004> of our God<430>, being related<7138> to Tobiah<2900>,
5had prepared<6213> a large<1419> room<3957> for him, where<8033> formerly<6440> they put<5414> the grain offerings<4503>, the frankincense<3828>, the utensils<3627> and the tithes<4643> of grain<1715>, wine<8492> and oil<3323> prescribed<4687> for the Levites<3881>, the singers<7891> and the gatekeepers<7778>, and the contributions<8641> for the priests<3548>.
6But during all<3605> this<2088> time I was not in Jerusalem<3389>, for in the thirty-second<7970><8147> year<8141> of Artaxerxes<783> king<4428> of Babylon<894> I had gone<935> to the king<4428>. After<7093> some time<3117>, however, I asked<7592> leave from the king<4428>,
7and I came<935> to Jerusalem<3389> and learned<995> about the evil<7463> that Eliashib<475> had done<6213> for Tobiah<2900>, by preparing<6213> a room<5393> for him in the courts<2691> of the house<1004> of God<430>.
8It was very<3966> displeasing<7489> to me, so I threw<7993> all<3605> of Tobiah's<2900> household<1004> goods<3627> out of the room<3957>.
9Then I gave<559> an order<559> and they cleansed<2891> the rooms<3957>; and I returned<7725> there<8033> the utensils<3627> of the house<1004> of God<430> with the grain offerings<4503> and the frankincense<3828>.
10I also discovered<3045> that the portions<4521> of the Levites<3881> had not been given<5414> them, so that the Levites<3881> and the singers<7891> who performed<6213> the service<4399> had gone<1272> away<1272>, each<376> to his own field<7704>.
11So I reprimanded<7378> the officials<5461> and said<559>, "Why<4069> is the house<1004> of God<430> forsaken<5800>?" Then I gathered<6908> them together and restored<5975> them to their posts<5977>.
12All<3605> Judah<3063> then brought<935> the tithe<4643> of the grain<1715>, wine<8492> and oil<3323> into the storehouses<214>.
13In charge<5921> of the storehouses<214> I appointed<686> Shelemiah<8018> the priest<3548>, Zadok<6659> the scribe<5613>, and Pedaiah<6305> of the Levites<3881>, and in addition<5921><3027> to them was Hanan<2605> the son<1121> of Zaccur<2139>, the son<1121> of Mattaniah<4983>; for they were considered<2803> reliable<539>, and it was their task<5921> to distribute<2505> to their kinsmen<251>.
14Remember<2142> me for this<384>, O my God<430>, and do not blot<4229> out my loyal<2617> deeds<2617> which<834> I have performed<6213> for the house<1004> of my God<430> and its services<4929>.
15In those<1992> days<3117> I saw<7200> in Judah<3063> some who were treading<1869> wine<1660> presses<1660> on the sabbath<7676>, and bringing<935> in sacks<6194> of grain<6194> and loading<6006> them on donkeys<2543>, as well<637> as wine<3196>, grapes<6025>, figs<8384> and all<3605> kinds of loads<4853>, and they brought<935> them into Jerusalem<3389> on the sabbath<7676> day<3117>. So I admonished<5749> them on the day<3117> they sold<4376> food<6718>.
16Also men<6876> of Tyre<6876> were living<3427> there who imported<935> fish<1710> and all<3605> kinds of merchandise<4377>, and sold<4376> them to the sons<1121> of Judah<3063> on the sabbath<7676>, even in Jerusalem<3389>.
17Then I reprimanded<7378> the nobles<2715> of Judah<3063> and said<559> to them, "What<4100> is this<2088> evil<7451> thing<1697> you are doing<6213>, by profaning<2490> the sabbath<7676> day<3117>?
18"Did not your fathers<1> do<6213> the same<3541>, so that our God<430> brought<935> on us and on this<384> city<5892> all<3605> this<384> trouble<7463>? Yet you are adding<3254> to the wrath<2740> on Israel<3478> by profaning<2490> the sabbath<7676>."
19It came<1961> about that just<3512> as it grew<6751> dark<6751> at the gates<8179> of Jerusalem<3389> before<6440> the sabbath<7676>, I commanded<559> that the doors<1817> should be shut<5462> and that they should not open<6605> them until<5704> after<310> the sabbath<7676>. Then I stationed<5975> some of my servants<5288> at the gates<8179> so that no<3808> load<4853> would enter<935> on the sabbath<7676> day<3117>.
20Once<6471> or twice<8147> the traders<7402> and merchants<4376> of every<3605> kind of merchandise<4465> spent<3885> the night<3885> outside<4480><2351> Jerusalem<3389>.
21Then I warned<5749> them and said<559> to them, "Why<4069> do you spend<3885> the night<3885> in front<5048> of the wall<2346>? If<518> you do<8138> so again<8138>, I will use<7971> force<3027> against you." From that time<6256> on they did not come<935> on the sabbath<7676>.
22And I commanded<559> the Levites<3881> that they should purify<2891> themselves and come<935> as gatekeepers<8104><8179> to sanctify<6942> the sabbath<7676> day<3117>. For this<384> also<1571> remember<2142> me, O my God<430>, and have<2347> compassion<2347> on me according to the greatness<7230> of Your lovingkindness<2617>.
23In those<1992> days<3117> I also<1571> saw<7200> that the Jews<3064> had married<3427> women<802> from Ashdod<796>, Ammon<5985> and Moab<4125>.
24As for their children<1121>, half<2677> spoke<1696> in the language<797> of Ashdod<797>, and none<369> of them was able<5234> to speak<1696> the language<3066> of Judah<3066>, but the language<3956> of his own<5971> people<5971>.
25So I contended<7378> with them and cursed<7043> them and struck<5221> some<376> of them and pulled<4803> out their hair<4803>, and made them swear<7650> by God<430>, "You shall not give<5414> your daughters<1323> to their sons<1121>, nor<518> take<5375> of their daughters<1323> for your sons<1121> or for yourselves.
26"Did not Solomon<8010> king<4428> of Israel<3478> sin<2398> regarding<5921> these<428> things<428>? Yet among the many<7227> nations<1471> there was no<3808> king<4428> like<3644> him, and he was loved<157> by his God<430>, and God<430> made<5414> him king<4428> over<5921> all<3605> Israel<3478>; nevertheless<1571> the foreign<5237> women<802> caused even<1571> him to sin<2403>.
27"Do we then hear<8085> about you that you have committed<6213> all<3605> this<384> great<1419> evil<7463> by acting<4603> unfaithfully<4603> against our God<430> by marrying<3427> foreign<5237> women<802>?"
28Even one of the sons<1121> of Joiada<3077>, the son<1121> of Eliashib<475> the high<1419> priest<3548>, was a son-in-law<2860> of Sanballat<5571> the Horonite<2772>, so I drove<1272> him away<1272> from me.
29Remember<2142> them, O my God<430>, because<5921> they have defiled<1352> the priesthood<3550> and the covenant<1285> of the priesthood<3550> and the Levites<3881>.
30Thus I purified<2891> them from everything<3605> foreign<5236> and appointed<5975> duties<4931> for the priests<3548> and the Levites<3881>, each<376> in his task<4399>,
31and I arranged for the supply<7133> of wood<6086> at appointed<2163> times<6256> and for the first<1061> fruits<1061>. Remember<2142> me, O my God<430>, for good<2899>.